Saturday, June 27

Not to be outdone by fans of Smeagol, Roma's fans insist on gratuitous photos of the baby when she was still small. Here she is having her very first bath. Remember when she was this tiny? She's all grown up now and living happily ever after with her family.

Rubber Ducky, you're the one

You make bathtime lots of fun!

Rubber Ducky, joy of joys!

When I squeeze you, you make noise!

Rubber Ducky, you're my very best friend, it's true!

Every day when I

make my way to the tubby

There's a fellow who's

Cute and yellow and

Chubby!(rub a dub dubby!)

Rubber ducky, you're so fine

And I'm lucky that you're mine!

Rubber Ducky, I'm awfully fond of you!

There you have it! Gratuitous Roma and as an added bonus, an earworm for your weekend pleasure. Courtesy of

Monday, June 22

From April's "Ask the Frog Princess" post, a question we hear fairly frequently:

"I notice that so many of the lucky FBRN grads live with stay-at-home moms and dads. This certainly is ideal for all involved, but in promoting the rescue, I've come across so many wonderful homes where parents work either part or fulltime. How important is this work from home status for an adoptable frog that would "do just fine with a mid-day walk"?"Handsome and patriotic Bacon prepares to celebrate Independence Day!

We are so lucky in FBRN to have many wonderful applicants for our dogs and to have a breed that is, even with the explosion of puppy mill puppies, relatively uncommon. We have the luxury of choosing the best application from among many wonderful applications for some of our dogs.

Frenchies are highly social dogs, as a rule. They are lapdogs. They thrive in the company of people. If we could, we'd place all our dogs in great homes where someone is available all day. Newcomer Darla

But Frenchies, like people, are individuals, and some Frenchies aren't as people-centered as others. For those Frenchies, a home all day person isn't as important, and we are happy to consider families that work outside the home. But some of our dogs have been neglected, some have separation anxiety, and some are such love sponges that they can only be happy if they have a person in the room with them. Don't set yourself up for disappointment--if the bio says a stay home person is required and you can't stay home, look for another needy frog to love.

This has been a long answer to what may seem a simple question--what are my chances for adopting a Frenchie if I must work all day? The answer is, that depends on the Frenchie you are applying for.

OK10's Bertha gets comfortable in her home!

If you are applying for a very young, healthy, popular Frenchie and you are a full-time commuting worker who is gone for most of the daylight hours, it is very possible that the Frenchie you've appled for will be adopted by someone who works from home or works part-time or who has a partner who works opposite shifts or who can otherwise provide more companionship for the dog, regardless of whether the bio says he'd be happy with a mid-day potty break. Billy

In any event, if you believe you are the best home for a Frenchie, complete an application and tell us why you should be selected. Don't just answer the questions, answer the questions the foster parent will have when she reads your application. If you work outside the home and are gone much of the day, tell us how you plan to interact with your Frenchie when you are home. If you have the means to hire a walker at mid-day or take your Frenchie to day care sometimes, tell us so. Provide references. Make us understand what makes you the best home for the dog. Remember, our primary concern is not pleasing applicants (though that is a very nice fringe benefit). Our primary concern is finding the best possible fit for our darling frogs.

Finally, don't give up.

Sleek Zeek!

Many of our applicants have applied for several dogs and been disappointed. They apply again. Eventually, the right dog and the right family come together. Don't be discouraged.

In fact, if you've applied for more than one dog before being matched with an FBRN Frenchie, let's hear from you in the comments. It would be very nice to give people some examples of success!

Tuesday, June 16

Pooter went through a couple of surgeries to try to make his bottom work the way it should. Neither of the surgeries worked, so FBRN has taken him in and we are considering how best to deal with a puppy who poops a little bit quite a lot of the time. Here's a detailed update on Pooter, the pooping puppy.

"Pooter is doing well, he eats like a horse and he now weighs 22 lbs! I think he is going to be a big Frenchie! I took him to a specialist last week. They said his anal sphincter muscle just doesn't close up all the way. They don't know whether it is something congenital or happened because of disease. They don't think very much can be done about it. But they could do an MRI to find out if surgery is an option. I haven't had a follow up appointment about it with my vet yet. They also said he has bilateral undescended testicles.

Because I have all tile floors, much of the time Pooter doesn't wear a diaper. Who named him Pooter? I have a lot of fun with his name LOL. Pootsie, Pootface, Got Poots? Pootsie Patootsie, Pooter Man. He is so cute! He does leave little poots on the floor and on the dog beds on the floor in the living room, but he also, when he feels the urge, does bigger poots outside. So he is really just a little guy who leaks.

He also scoots outside to pee most of the time. The diaper confuses him about the "potty business". I always put a diaper and his head cone on him every night before putting him in his crate. In the morning he is frantic to get out so he can go outside and potty with the rest of the gang.

He is the most darling puppy. He teases my other dogs until they play with him. He is never discouraged by a discouraging snarl or growl. Then, if nobody will play, he comes over to me and puts his paws on my knee and gives me such soulful looks. His little lamb face is so serious and so soft. I just want to kiss him!

I can only have him on my lap with a towel on it or a diaper on him, but he comes many times to put his paws on my knee and give me his soulful looks and get pets and hugs. Then his ears suddenly come up, his eyes flash as he sees his nemesis (my cat, Capone) sauntering into the room. Gotta go, Mom!! And he is off to chase Capone. Capone is a really big cat (18 lbs, declawed), but he runs, then stops and hisses and complains. Pooter stops too. It's a game, right? The cats (2) are used to him now and don't worry about him, but Capone gets so annoyed.

I also have 3 little foster kittens. Pooter has been wanting to play with them so badly, but he plays too rough and they always scramble away from him and get out of reach. Finally he is learning to be more careful and play their way."

Wonderful what our foster families will do for these silly frogs. The trouble they take, the lengths they go to, the messes they live with and clean up after. We pronounce our foster families the salt of the earth, the cream of the crop, the top of the heap.

Sunday, June 14

One of our supporters asked for an update on the Frog who would be Queenie.

Queenie has been adopted by her foster moms and is shown here at the New England Social submitting to an entirely inappropriate, dignity-bustin', spontaneous display of affection. We are very glad this wasn't blown all out of proportion by the press.

Queenie continues to rule the roost with an iron jaw in a velvet muzzle. All who come in and through the joint are made hep to the jive and if they abide by the rules, all is copasetic. Woe betide the newbie with a yen to test the hierarchical organization, however.

Queenie is a Frenchie after our own heart. She's got what it takes to keep her subjects in line and she is not afraid to tell anyone just how the cow ate the cabbage.

Saturday, June 13

The life of a foster mom is tough. You always love your foster, and you feel a pang when your foster goes, but every once in a while you get a foster who wraps little tendrils of herself all around your heart. That's how it is for Thalia's foster mom. Here's a note from her about Thalia. The photos are from a recent hydrotherapy appointment.

"This little lady arrived on our doorsteps on February 13, 2009. She was found in a shelter in St. Bernard Parish (outside of New Orleans). Full of heartworms and with a very obvious problem walking, she was set to be put up for adoption. Luckily, FBRN was able to scoop her up. Her name was Ophelia which seemed too tragic, so she was rechristened as Thalia in honor of the Muse of Comedy - however, after gazing on her precious face with her pink cheeks and ears, she was very quickly given the nickname Pinkie which suits her to a T.

Little Pinkie (weighing in at a very thin 18 pounds) was quickly rushed to the vet where she had x-rays taken to determine the cause of her unusual walk. It was then that we discovered an old injury to her spine. I had been told that she may have been bitten by another dog when she was a puppy. This could be possible - she could also have been hit by a car, or a million other things that are in her past now. It was determined that while an orthopedist or neurologist may be able to help, the best course of action for her was physical therapy. But first we had to tackle the heartworms.

Again, because she is so thin and her heartworm disease was pretty advanced, we decided to go with a slow-kill method which involves giving her Heartguard in small doses over several months building her up to be able to take her regular monthly dose. In order to get her ready, she was placed on multiple vitamins and supplements to strengthen her heart and her body. We have just completed the last split-dose of Heartguard - she will take a whole dose in June. The Heartguard kills off the microfilariae (baby worms) so they can not grow into adults. She does still have adult worms but they will die off over time which will be easier on her system that a fast kill with lots of worms dying at once. So our hope is that she will be completely heartworm free within the next 6-9 months.We were told to expect coughing, lethargy, loss of appetite - not with this girl. She just kept going - she has an amazing little spirit.

We have also started her in physical therapy. Her first visit was last week - she had range of motion and muscle measurements taken, she got some massage, and finally she got to walk on the underwater treadmill. She exercised for a full 12 minutes. We are hoping that this week she will go for 14. While this will not cure her injury, our hope is that it will help her build muscle and improve her coordination. Thalia/Pinkie also receives daily massages at home on her shoulders and neck and has her back legs and joints exercised. I believe we have seen some improvement and hope that after her initial visits we will go to a maintenance schedule (maybe once every two weeks, or once a month to maintain).

Here is the best thing about Thalia/Pinkie - she just wants to be a good girl. She wants to be close to you, wants to know where you are and what you are doing. She is so very appreciative of any attention she receives. People ask me all the time how I can give her up - I tell them that she deserves her own special home with her own MaMa and Daddy (she shouldn't have to share with my two bad Frenchie boys). I just don't want her to be overlooked because she may still have some heartworms hanging around or because she walks funny. She is an incredible little dog and with so much love to share.

Right now, Thalia/Pinkie is keeping it real in New Orleans where she enjoys walks along the bayou, sniffing around the French Quarter and sharing an oyster po-boy with her foster dad. Pinkie also likes chewing on nylabones, watching basketball, and sleeping in the big bed. Pinkie does not like the beagles who walk down the street every evening (seriously, she hears them coming from two blocks away). Sadly, we have been told that she sounds like she has been debarked - but she does have the cutest tiny bark I have ever heard - very fierce! Beagles Beware!"A fiesty little Cajun she is! Keep it up, chere! Keep those streets clear of those floppy eared, long tailed menaces, eggs on

Tuesday, June 9

More beautiful and acquirable objets are on eBay this week! Thank you, thank you to our generous donors! Check these out:

Two prints and one ceramic jar, donated to FBRN, have been listed on eBay and below are the links to these items. All proceeds benefit the rescue frenchies at the French Bulldog Rescue Network (FBRN) so please visit the links and help a frenchie in need. Thank you.

Saturday, June 6

Poor Garbo! Her skin is a mess! Once we got the demodex under control and the staph infection cleared up, we discovered the poor girl suffers from allergies!And now the doctor says poor Garbo is having some adolescent breakouts! Here's what her foster mom said about her last vet visit:

"What can I say about Lady Garbo! I took her to the vet on Saturday for a checkup regarding her skin. There has not been much improvement, yet. But Dr. P stated she does have clogged glands, i.e. Black heads. The teenage years! So Lady Garbs will have spa day twice a week. One day with the benzyl/peroxide and the other day with Malaseb.

Lady Garbs is learning the wait command. She is up to 5 seconds, but she also waits to be asked up on the couch. She is also walking better on the leash, until we get to the vet's office, then all fours are planted in the emergency brake zone.

And go figure, she will not pick up toy, but a dead bird she will bring you. We do not know how the bird died, but it was in the yard.

Lady Garbo loves to lounge around. She is such a good girl."

We cannot approve the habit of carrying around quite recently dead things. Garbo must attend finishing school to learn all about what is seemly and what is unbecoming in a Frenchie. However, we are gratified to learn that Garbo enjoys a good lounging. She has that in common with

Thursday, June 4

Tinker has turned around! She came to us a living mess of owies, sores and ugly behavior, but after several weeks of consistent, careful treatment, her skin is pink and healing and even her attitude has changed. From not giving a Tinker's damn about what people wanted or thought of her, to a girl with a winning grin and happy demeanor, little Tink is twinkling, now. Let's let her foster mom tell it:

"A twice-daily antibiotic, daily medicated wipe, and twice-weekly medicated shampoo have worked their magic on Tinker's sores--they no longer bleed or ooze pus. Now that she's feeling better, this angry, unhappy snapper has turned into a loving, even-tempered doll-baby who raises her right paw to ask for attention and does happy pirouettes when she sees her leash.

Tinker is awaiting the results of a thyroid test. We're cautiously optimistic that two years of chronic skin issues can be resolved with a daily dose of synthetic hormone.

As she's blossomed in FBRN, Tinker has revealed two quirks (Frenchies don't have faults, you know):

First, she's not interested in being part of a multi-dog household, and had to be moved to a single-dog foster home. There's no 'i' in pack, but there is in Tinker, and this old gal is happiest when the house is quiet and the love has only to be divided into two. (Not dividing the love at all would be fine with her also.) Second, Tinker is not photogenic. These pictures do not do her justice.

Tinker is a healthy girl whose only issue is her skin, yet she's already racked up close to $500 in vet bills. Summer's coming, bringing with it invoices for heartworm preventative and tick repellent--your donations help FBRN continue to keep those repulsive, dangerous parasites at bay for all our dogs."

Let's hear it for those donations that keep our fosters safe from heartworm, fleas, and worms! If you have dogs, you know how expensive those doses are, and you knowhow necessary they are, especially in certain areas of the country and for allergy dogs.

If it's been a little while since you checked out our foster dogs, and it's been a little while since you sent a donation, why not stop by the foster page and drop a little copper in Tinker (or someone else's) little tin cup? Foster parents love to read your messages for "their" dogs, too! It's like a wonderful "way to go!" to hear from a supporter, and see a sponsorship for your own foster.

Foster parents love to read the messages, and so do all the volunteers, includingThe Frog Princess

Tuesday, June 2

We were checking out the new faces page on the website and came across this stunning visage belonging to Major.

We understand that it is wrong to judge a book by its cover, and that it's foolish to fall in love with a frog one hasn't met. But honest to Pete, just look at him!

Here's a note from his foster mom:"Major is still doing great.

His favorite thing is going to the dog park, where he runs like a racehorse with the other dogs, kicking up dirt as he goes. He is a daredevil and almost gave me a heart attack when he raced into the little pond to play with a Lab and actually swam a few strokes! He loves running in the water like he is at the seashore.

Next, he thought he would climb up a rocky slope and I had to climb up to "rescue" him with my fat butt and flip flops. What a sight I'm sure we were!"

We are fairly certain that all eyes were on that gorgeous beast, so have no fear of appearing silly.

Who could resist getting an eyeful of such a repository of canine beauty? Certainly not